Homunculi Might Not Be Human, but You're a Real Dog

"Touko, want to come with me to the Department of Lore?"

Brishisan's lecture quickly came to an end. After class, Li Mo spoke to Touko Aozaki, who was organizing her notes beside him.

It was almost mealtime anyway. Since they were back, why not make something delicious to celebrate?

Touko gave him a sweet smile, then looked at Souren Araya, who had his head lowered on the other side. "Not today. I asked Souren to set up a barrier at my workshop. Some other time."

Uh... Li Mo felt helpless. Fine, spending some time alone with her teacher sounded nice too, didn't it?

Still, wasn't Touko getting a little too involved with that pervert Souren Araya...

Li Mo was overthinking it. With Touko's future personality, could she possibly let anyone take advantage of her?

Though for now, she was still just a naive sweetheart.

"Alright, alright. I'll head back first." Li Mo pretended to tuck his magecraft notes into his pocket, when in fact he put them into the Spearhead Space against his chest. Then he rose and walked toward Brishisan, who had specifically waited for him by the door.

Women... truly hard to understand.

With people coming and going around them, Brishisan chose not to speak. He merely nodded, and the two headed out of the Clock Tower together.

Once they reached the outside of the British Museum and saw the empty street, Brishisan finally could not hold back any longer. "Tell me what happened on this trip."

Of course, his tone remained casual. As an elder, he had to maintain his composure.

If he looked too impatient, where would Brishisan's dignity go?

"Uh... well... Teacher, I..." When Brishisan asked, Li Mo did not know how to answer for a moment.

How was he supposed to put it? I got into a fight with them, beat them flat, and then kept the thing I was supposed to return to them?

Although Li Mo could stand tall with a clear conscience and plenty of justification, it still did not sound all that good when put that way...

"Speak." Brishisan remained expressionless, his tone still calm and unhurried.

Was he really going to say it?

Looking at Brishisan's serious face, Li Mo scratched his head and spoke bashfully. "Actually, things were fine at first. I had a pleasant chat with the head of the Einzbern family. We talked about all sorts of things and got along wonderfully."

"And Teacher Brishisan, do you know? The head of the Einzbern family is actually a homunculus. Their Magi died out long ago. Now, a whole bunch of homunculi are running the entire family..."

"Get to the point!" A vein bulged on Brishisan's forehead, and he seemed a little impatient.

His disciple's talent was beyond reproach, and his cooking was delicious too, but he was just too talkative. He would ramble from one thing to another until no one knew where the original topic had gone!

"Well... I got into a fight with them..." Li Mo looked even more bashful.

Just as expected!

Ever since Li Mo had said that what he needed to return was someone else's family heirloom, Brishisan had anticipated something like this. Now that he heard it had indeed happened, he was not overly surprised.

Putting on a concerned expression, Brishisan asked, "You weren't hurt, were you?"

Tch, just like a father. The first thing he asked was whether Li Mo had been hurt. Honestly, that feeling was...

Amazing!

Li Mo's heart warmed. "No. Although Kiritsugu Emiya shot me once, I was wearing three bulletproof vests. Then I projected a sun and scared them all flat."

Brishisan froze. He... projected a sun?

But Li Mo did not notice Brishisan's shock and continued, "Originally, because of Illya, I was planning to just teach the Einzbern family a small lesson. But then Lord Kishua suddenly appeared and personally mediated, so..."

So what happened next? And who was Illya?

Li Mo swallowed, then gave a silly grin. "So I went along with it and let them off. I just had them pay a little compensation for emotional distress..."

That was right—he meant Avalon. Who said compensation for emotional distress had to be money? Why could it not be some other item?

Brishisan's expression immediately became incredibly colorful. When had his disciple become so ferocious?

Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—but it had only been half a year for you! In another while, would you not even take me seriously anymore?

Well, it seemed like he had already been unable to handle this brat's three moves before. Brishisan could not help thinking sadly.

At this rate, this old father would truly only be able to shout "666."

"A little compensation for emotional distress... You didn't empty out the entire Einzbern family, did you?" After coming back to his senses, Brishisan asked with a bitter smile. He knew Li Mo's personality well enough.

The boy was always running wherever there were benefits to be had. Having run into something like this, would he not strip the Einzbern family clean?

Li Mo gave a sly chuckle and said, "No, no. How could that be? They wouldn't have agreed if I did that. I just asked for the thing Lord Kishua wanted me to return... back again."

Avalon?

"I..." Brishisan was speechless for a moment, simply staring blankly at Li Mo.

Avalon had originally been stolen from the Einzbern family by that lord without permission. He had finally gotten tired of playing with it and wanted to return it, yet Li Mo had swiped it again?

Tch, just how large was the Einzbern family's psychological trauma at that moment?

I don't know whether homunculi count as people, but you really are a damn dog. How could you come up with such an absurd maneuver?

Brishisan covered his head and let out a long sigh, looking as though he had no face left to show anyone. "Why did you have to insist on that broken Sword Sheath? The Department of Lore has countless treasures. Sooner or later, wouldn't they all be yours...?"

"Is there anything better than Avalon?"

Li Mo widened his eyes and spoke in a harmless, innocent tone.

He had only gone to the Department of Lore's underground level once, yet he had obtained the Withered Lotus. Thinking about it that way... hehehe, Li Mo suddenly grew excited.

Brishisan rubbed his forehead. He had no idea how to answer that question.

There probably were, but... he didn't know!

Or perhaps it wasn't that he didn't know, but that, like that withered lotus, they needed to meet someone destined for them before they could bloom in different colors?

Though he always claimed that the Department of Lore possessed countless treasures, he truly only knew about a few of them. After all, Brishisan, as the Department of Lore's ruler, had visited the underground storage countless times—yet when had anything like what happened to Li Mo ever occurred...

"If there are any, go look for yourself if you don't know!" Brishisan's eyes widened as he roared at Li Mo.

Stay calm, stay calm. A teacher had to carry himself like a teacher!

An inexplicable anger rose in Brishisan's chest, but he forced a placid expression onto his face.

"Sooner or later, it'll all be yours. What are you in such a hurry for? Even Lord Kishua said your foundation is poor. Why aren't you working hard to make up for it? Work hard and bring me some pride!"

"And that projected sun of yours—shouldn't you be giving me an explanation for that?"